Australian Marist Solidarity

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Samoa

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Population: 197,700
Capital City: Apia
Main Languages: Samoan, English
Major Religion: Protestant, Catholic, Mormon

Nurturing young minds through their primary and high school education.

Country Information

Samoa has long been a strategic stronghold and has endured occupation by Britain, the United States, Germany and New Zealand. In 1962, what was then called Western Samoa, became the first small-island country in the Pacific to gain independence. Now officially Samoa, the country faces economic difficulties with a dependency on aid and tourism. In 2011 the country moved west of the International Date Line by skipping December 30 and moving from 21 hours behind Australia, to 3 hours ahead, in attempt to boost its economy with their major trading partners – Australia and New Zealand. With 53% of the population under the age of 24, lack of employment opportunities mean that 16% of the population are unemployed leaving Samoa with the world’s 8th highest rate of emigration.

Marists in Samoa

The Marist Brothers have a long tradition of education in Samoa, arriving in 1845 and opening their first school in 1871. Despite leaving temporarily six years later the Marists returned in 1888 and have been present since. Education in Samoa is intrinsically linked with the Marist Brothers. Since Samoa gained independence in 1962, every Prime Minister except one has received a Marist education, with many old boys playing a crucial role in paving the way for independence. Today, Marist Brothers Primary School and St Joseph’s High School continue to educate and develop the future generations of Samoa in the tradition of St Marcellin.

Current Projects

St Joseph’s College, Alafua | SA0007

St Joseph’s College is a Marist School of 450 students and 22 teachers. The school was established in 1950 and the current classrooms were built in 1998. The school has been unable to adequately maintain many of the school buildings over the past decades and as a result require ongoing maintenance.  There is a need to for a large overhaul […]

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Past Projects

Mulivai Drinking Water System | SA0002

St Joseph’s Classroom Upgrades | SA0005

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© Australian Marist Solidarity 2023

Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) is the international agency for the aid and development work of the Marist Province of Australia throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. AMS is part of Marist Solidarity and looks after its development projects. Australian Marist Solidarity is a full member and signatory of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). For more information on our commitment to the Code click here. We are endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient (ABN 46 373 535 209) and registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission.